ICB assembly, battery module comprising the same and method for fabricating the battery module

Abstract

An interconnect board (ICB) assembly suitable for a battery module of horizontal stack structure including unidirectional battery cells stacked with cell leads facing each other includes an ICB frame in which cell leads of unidirectional battery cells are configured to be received such that the unidirectional battery cells having the cell leads at one end are configured to be placed facing each other with the cell leads facing each other, and busbars formed in the ICB frame and configured to be electrically connected to the cell leads, wherein the ICB frame is configured to be connected to another ICB frame with a hinge structure in a lengthwise direction of the ICB frame. A battery module including the ICB assembly and a method for fabricating the battery module are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An interconnect board (ICB) assembly, comprising:
 a monolithic ICB frame in which cell leads of unidirectional battery cells are configured to be received such that the unidirectional battery cells having the cell leads at one end are configured to be placed facing each other with the cell leads facing each other; and 
 busbars formed in the ICB frame and configured to be electrically connected to the cell leads, 
 wherein the ICB frame is configured to be connected to another ICB frame with a hinge structure in a lengthwise direction of the ICB frame, 
 wherein the ICB frame has rod-shaped protrusions on respective sides thereof, the sides being separated along the lengthwise direction, and 
 wherein the assembly further comprises a joint element separate and distinct from the ICB frame having grooves into which the protrusions are configured to be inserted, respectively, for connecting two ICB frames arranged along the lengthwise direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The ICB assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the joint element is in an H shape and the grooves are at four ends of the joint element. 
     
     
       3. The ICB assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the grooves are formed in a C shape. 
     
     
       4. The ICB assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the ICB frame is integrally formed with the busbars by insert molding. 
     
     
       5. The ICB assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the busbars include three busbars formed in the one ICB frame. 
     
     
       6. The ICB assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the ICB frame is rectangular having a length along the lengthwise direction configured to be approximately equal to a side of a unidirectional battery cell having cell leads, and a width in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, the width being smaller than the length. 
     
     
       7. A system comprising:
 two of the ICB assemblies according to  claim 1 , wherein the protrusions of the ICB assemblies are inserted into the grooves of the joint element, respectively, connecting the ICB frames of the two ICB assemblies along the lengthwise direction. 
 
     
     
       8. A method for fabricating a battery module, comprising:
 (a) preparing a plurality of interconnect board (ICB) assemblies, each ICB assembly including: a monolithic ICB frame in which cell leads of unidirectional battery cells are configured to be received such that the unidirectional battery cells having the cell leads at one end are configured to be placed facing each other with the cell leads facing each other, and busbars formed in the ICB frame and configured to be electrically connected to the cell leads, wherein the ICB frame has rod-shaped protrusions on respective sides thereof, the sides being separated along the lengthwise direction; 
 (b) laterally connecting and arranging the ICB frames of the ICB assemblies in the lengthwise direction of the ICB frames with a hinge structure between adjacent ICB frames, including inserting the protrusions into respective grooves of a joint element separate and distinct from the ICB frames; 
 (c) mounting unidirectional battery cells on right and left sides of the lengthwise direction of the laterally connected ICB frames to horizontally arrange the battery cells such that the battery cells face each other; 
 (d) connecting the ICB assemblies to the arranged battery cells by welding the busbars and the cell leads together on a top side; 
 (e) stacking the battery cells by folding the arranged ICB frames at the hinge parts; and 
 (f) coupling an additional busbar between the busbars of the ICB assemblies exposed to a side. 
 
     
     
       9. The method for fabricating a battery module according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the battery cells includes bank unit cells stacked such that cell leads within the bank unit cells of same polarity are in contact with each other and connected in parallel. 
     
     
       10. The method for fabricating a battery module according to  claim 8 , wherein after the steps (c) and (d) are performed,
 reversing the ICB assemblies and the battery cells connected to each other so that lower surfaces of the ICB frames are placed upward, and 
 connecting the ICB assemblies to the arranged battery cells by welding the busbars and the cell leads together on the lower surfaces of the ICB frames. 
 
     
     
       11. The method for fabricating a battery module according to  claim 8 , wherein the (c) step comprises mounting the cell leads on the busbars to horizontally arrange the battery cells. 
     
     
       12. The method for fabricating a battery module according to  claim 8 , wherein the step (e) comprises stacking the battery cells in a hinged manner. 
     
     
       13. A battery module, comprising:
 units of battery cell—interconnect board (ICB) assembly—battery cell stacked in a heightwise direction from a ground, wherein in each unit, unidirectional battery cells having cell leads at one end are connected facing each other with respect to an ICB assembly such that the cell leads face each other, 
 wherein each ICB assembly includes an monolithic ICB frame in which the cell leads are received, and busbars formed in the ICB frame and electrically connected to the cell leads, and wherein each ICB frame has rod-shaped protrusions on respective sides thereof, the sides being separated along a lengthwise direction, 
 wherein adjacent ICB assemblies of the stacked ICB assemblies are connected with a joint element separate and distinct from the ICB frames having grooves into which the protrusions are inserted, respectively, for connecting two ICB frames arranged along the lengthwise direction, and 
 wherein the battery module further comprises an additional busbar for vertical series connection of the battery cells coupled to a side of the stacked ICB assemblies. 
 
     
     
       14. The battery module according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the battery cells includes bank unit cells stacked such that cell leads within the bank unit cells of same polarity are in contact with each other and connected in parallel. 
     
     
       15. The battery module according to  claim 13 , wherein two battery cells facing each other in one of the units are horizontally connected in series through the busbars formed in the respective ICB assembly. 
     
     
       16. The battery module according to  claim 13 , wherein the battery cells in one of the units include four battery cells connected to the respective ICB assembly, and two of the battery cells placed in upper and lower positions are vertically connected in series through the busbars formed in the respective ICB assembly. 
     
     
       17. The battery module according to  claim 13 , wherein the joint element is a hinge structure.